User:Raga Priya

WHY DOES TOUCH ME NOT PLANT CLOSE WHEN WE TOUCH? Touch Me Not plants are otherwise known as "SENSITIVE PLANTS" or "Mimosa pudica". When anyone touches this plant, the leaves gets closed. Why is it happening so?

It is because the leaves of Touch me not plants have a joint like thickening at the base of each leaflets called "PULVINI". These pulvinus consist of cells filled with water. Pressure is being applied by this water against the walls of the cells. That pressure is called "Turgor Pressure" which helps the leaflets to stand upright. Turgor pressure is the force within the cell wall which pushes the plasma membrane against cell wall.

When we touch the plant, it produces various chemicals including potassium ions. Due to these chemicals pulvini lose water. As a consequence of that Turgor Pressure will be lost. So the cells get collapsed resulting in the closing of leaves.